Voluntary memory loss is a common phenomenon in politics. It allows people to speak with authority, as if yesterday's truths had never existed. On Tuesday, July 16, each in their own way, Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley offered a striking demonstration of this at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The governor of Florida and the former ambassador to the UN, both of whom were defeated and badly treated by Donald Trump during the primaries, praised the Republican candidate seated in the room. DeSantis announced his support for Trump as soon as he withdrew from the race for the Republican nomination. Haley, on the other hand, delayed, hesitated and wasn't even scheduled to attend the convention. In the course of an intense evening, they pledged their allegiance to the same man whose record, personality and excesses they had criticized.
DeSantis, as usual, spoke without any qualms or mention of the primaries. He trotted out his campaign staples, from "gender ideology" to mandatory vaccines and the migration crisis. He held up Florida as an example and took aim at incumbent President Joe Biden in harsh terms, illustrating just how short an interlude the calls for moderation after the assassination attempt on Trump was.
As for the words he used to express his support, they were emphatic. "Donald Trump has been demonized. He's been sued. He's been prosecuted. We cannot let him down. And we cannot let America down."
The audience of delegates was ecstatic, confirming by their shouts and applause that DeSantis retains a high standing in the Make America Great Again world. At the beginning of 2023, the Florida governor represented the post-Trump alternative, ideologically consistent with the movement. He had amassed a monumental war chest of nearly $150 million (€137.5 million). A catastrophic campaign and Trump's daily onslaught were his undoing.
Two days before the New Hampshire primary in January, DeSantis withdrew from the race, throwing his support behind the eventual winner. Withdrawing to Florida, the governor then mobilized the Republican donors who helped him bolster the former president's resources. Aged 45, DeSantis is already positioning himself for the post-Trump era and the inevitable dispute over his successor. The sudden arrival of the 39-year-old J. D. Vance as Trump's running mate, even though Vance has only recently become a senator, hinders his progress.
DeSantis was preceded on stage by Haley, in a much more mixed atmosphere. The applause was polite and forced, accompanied by a few boos. The former governor of South Carolina (2011-2017) and ambassador to the UN under the Trump administration (2017-2018) was smiling brightly, her way of displaying her determination. "I'll start by making one thing clear: Donald Trump has my strong support, period." It was necessary to walk on the coals of unity. Haley committed herself, "for the good of our nation." Forget the cognitive tests for candidates over 75 that she proposed during the primaries.
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